Not everything chocolate has to be served sweet. In this recipe for Delicious Pork and Prunes in Mole, pork and prunes are simmered until tender in a quick mole sauce that is simple, elegant and versatile.
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A “short cut” mole dish that tastes like you spent days in the kitchen preparing it
Believe me when I tell you the most difficult part of this recipe is figuring out how to open the DOÑA MARÍA® Mole jar. I’ll get to that in a moment, but if you have an afternoon to let something simmer on the stove for a couple hours, a feast of flavors will be your reward.
Moles can take days to build their flavor profiles. For this easy fast mole recipe, I use a ready-made mole paste to quickly build a rich sauce. The mole compliments the natural sweetness of the pork and prunes. The onions and garlic add an element of earthiness to this dish and the apple cider vinegar delivers a splash of brightness to balance all those rich flavors.
If you don’t have a lot of time (or a recipe for that matter) to make mole from scratch, I find this method of enhancing the mole base with pork, prunes and onions makes this the easiest and best fast mole recipe to follow.
I will typically serve this Delicious Pork and Prunes in Mole with a few simple toppings. Warm tortillas, fresh cilantro, and some sliced white and red onions are classic. Other favorites include sliced avocado, radishes and a little sour cream.
If you’re having friends over, it’s a pretty easy feast to prepare in advance – allowing you to enjoy both the meal and your guests. It’s fun to experiment with the toppings. So, serve this recipe for Delicious Pork and Prunes in Mole “family style” and just let people build their own tacos to taste.
So, what’s the trick to opening that jar? And what do I do with all that oil that has risen to the top?
I have watched a lot of videos that ended in deeply-tinted oil splattered all over the kitchen. I’ve seen people pierce the lid with a knife. Alternatively, I’ve also seen people turn the jar upside down over a plate and pry the top off with a butter knife. I’ve tried this method, only to have the oil leak out everywhere. There are many YouTube videos out there, but the easiest, cleanest way to open a DOÑA MARÍA® Mole jar is to use a simple bottle opener at the designated points.
At the top of each jar – evenly spaced apart – are three triangles. Think of them as pressure points. Place the jar over a paper towel or inside a bowl to catch any oil that may spill out once opened. Using a bottle opener, apply pressure, lifting upward and toward the center of the lid as if you were removing a cap from a bottle of pop or beer (yes, I said pop. I’m from Michigan after all). If needed, rotate to the second and third triangle and repeat until the lid comes up, but honestly, I usually get it on the first pressure point.
Once the lid is removed, you’ll notice there is a lot of oil that has risen to the top. Use a butter knife to gently poke holes along the top and sides of the jar until the oil is evenly redistributed. You can also empty the entire contents into a bowl to work the mole paste back together.
Something sweet to end this meal of Delicious Pork and Prunes in Mole
If you’re looking for an equally delicious and easy dessert to compliment this Delicious Pork and Prunes in Mole recipe, I recommend trying the Pumpkin & Pepita Empanadas.
Pumpkin & Pepita Empanadas are one of my favorites to prepare when I need a quick dessert. For a variety of fillings, substitute pineapple preserves. And if you are really feeling adventurous, try sweet red bean paste as a filling. The red bean paste can be found in your local Asian market and delivers a delicious, fusion twist.
When I prepare a variety of empanadas for a gathering, I sprinkle the tops with different sugars – yellow sprinkles for pineapple, orange for pumpkin and red for the red bean paste. It’s just a colorful, easy way to help people identify their favorites.
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Delicious Pork and Prunes in Mole
Course: EntreeCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Intermediate8
servings30
minutes2
hours15
minutesTender pieces of pork are cooked in a slightly sweet and savory mole sauce.
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds pork loin, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
4Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 cup white onion, 1/4 inch dice
1 cup pitted prunes, roughly chopped into quarters
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, hot
1/2 cup DOÑA MARÍA® Mole
Directions
- Heat up 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a medium size stock pot over medium- high heat. Working in two separate batches, sear half of the pork until browned – approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the first batch and set aside. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of oil to the pot and repeat the process, browning the remaining pork.
- Once the second batch of pork is browned, add the first batch back into the pot and reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the onions to the pork and cook until they become soft – about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and prunes and cook for another 2 minutes. Keep the mixture moving to prevent the prunes from sticking.
- Add the apple cider vinegar to the pot, followed by the hot chicken stock.
- Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 90 minutes.
- After 90 minutes, remove the lid and stir. The pork should be fairly tender now.
- Add 1/2 cup of the DOÑA MARÍA® Mole paste to the pork. Using your spoon, stir the mole paste into the liquid until no lumps remain. Cover again and simmer for another 45 minutes. The sauce will start to thicken and the flavors marry.
- Remove from the heat and serve with fresh tortillas and your favorite toppings. I recommend, fresh cilantro, onions, sliced avocados and sour cream.
